Page 64

Three Months Later

Dev joins me on the ground in the death pose.

I can feel the audience’s attention on us, the enormous space completely silent during the last scene of our last encore performance of Swan Lake .

We were supposed to perform at the Met Opera for one last time two months ago, but the show was so successful, they extended it for a few more months. Normally, the curtains will close now, signaling the end of the ballet, the tragic love story of Odette, the beautiful white swan, and her Prince Siegfried.

But no.

Not this time.

I asked Lisa a month ago for an appointment to meet with her father and the rest of the board members. I told them I had an idea on how to shine a positive light on ABTC after Ian’s involvement in mine and Maddy’s assaults were disclosed to the public.

Ian ended up confessing once his team learned about the video Alexis had made. It was a smart move, because it closed the case faster, keeping him out of the limelight, no doubt for self-preservation.

Who knows if The Association will let him live?

The public rallied around Bank of Columbia’s stock, the press spinning stories of how Charles Vaughn protected his girlfriend from a rapist, how he was a man of honor who cared about the truth and valued that over his family ties. From what he told me, he recently hired a strong CFO working under him now and they were getting back on track. Charles’s parents are no-shows, as always. They visited Alexis in the hospital only two times. Charles is livid, but resigned—he’s making peace with his dysfunctional family now that he and Liam are close again.

Things have been more chaotic at ABTC, since we’re now without an artistic director. The board has been interviewing to fulfill the much needed position, but in the meantime, tickets to the show have been sold out.

I guess the public wants to see me, the poster child of assault survivors.

Tonight, on the last show of Swan Lake, I want to tell Mom’s version of the story she never finished telling me before she died.

I know what the ending should be now.

The hidden happily ever after beneath the tragedy.

The board approved of the plan and here I am, laying on the stage with Dev as the corps de ballet surround us, the other beautiful white swans forming a circle, blocking us from the view of the audience.

Dev and I quickly dart out from the back of the circle, where makeup and costume staff greet me, changing me into a specially crafted costume—the softest, most beautiful tutu I’ve ever seen, the right side black, the left side white. Crystals adorn the bodice and the silkiest ribbons drape from the waist. The makeup artist draws on a thick black liner on the right side of my face, and applies a dark purple rouge to half of my lips so that half of me is Odile, the black swan, and the other half is Odette, the white swan.

We quickly enter the circle of white swans and assume our ending positions before the swans slowly twirl away.

The spotlight shines on me as I slip from under Dev’s hold. The audience gasps when I turn around, showing them my black swan side. Smiling at the dark shadows, I spare a glance at the Vaughn family box front and center of the Parterre level, feeling Charles’s intense gaze on me.

Arching my hip, I ruffle my black feathers, embracing the audacious and saucy persona of Odile. Staring straight at the man I love, who looks so delicious in his black tux and perfectly combed hair, I give him a wink and throw him a kiss from afar. His glittering eyes shine with love as his lips twist into a smirk. He holds up his hand as if to catch my kiss and plasters it against his heart.

The audience chuckles at my teasing movements and I turn back toward Dev, who’s still lying on the ground. Before I head toward him, I prance toward the fallen sorcerer, Odile’s father in the original story—a pure bastard through and through. The sorcerer, the schemer behind Odette’s tragic death, is now shuddering on the ground, about to die himself after Odette and the prince decide to give up their lives to break the curse.

Slowly, I grab Prince Siegfried’s prop sword from the ground and plunge it into the sorcerer’s chest. The audience gasps as he flails dramatically before lying still. Then I hurry to Dev, and gently lift my leg high in the air as the front of my body bends down, all the while showing the black swan’s side to the spectators. I reach for him and he slowly wakens before he gets back up and flips me around so that Odette, the white swan, is now facing the audience.

A few excited shrieks echo in the auditorium as the crowd slowly realizes what’s happening. Odile, the strong black swan, the stunning fighter capable of the hardest moves and turns in the ballet, has planned this ending all along. She fakes the deaths of Odette and Prince Siegfried and kills their evil sorcerer father before resurrecting Odette and her love.

Dev lifts me high in the air as he spins on his feet. Exhilaration sears my blood before he sets me down. I perform another set of fouetté turns around him—faster and faster, so that my costume—the black and white sides blend and slowly blur into gray—the beautiful Odette with her sparkling white feathers merging with the daring Odile with her seductive black feathers.

I hear the roar from the crowd, followed by thunderous applause and the squeaking of chairs—a standing ovation—as I twirl and twirl and twirl.

Forty-eight. Forty-nine. Fifty turns, all equally strong and elegant.

Because I’m the best damn swan and I deserve to be standing here on this stage. And from the loud cheers and applause, the public agrees with me.

I’m controlling my destiny.

Slowly, I come down from my last turn and land in my ending pose as the curtains fall.

Chaos and commotion erupt backstage.

Lisa scrambles to us, Ainsley and Maddy close behind her, and the girls throw themselves on me.

“I had tears in my eyes, Tay. That was so beautiful!” Lisa exclaims. “Dad texted me and told me to tell you he wanted to schedule your promotion eval!”

My heart titters with happiness, the rush of satisfaction and joy practically stealing my breath away. I realize, at this moment, it doesn’t matter if I get promoted to principal ballerina.

Because I feel like a winner already.

I finally understood what Mom was trying to tell me all those years ago.

“A happy ending for everyone. I’m so proud of you, Tay. I knew you could do it!” Ainsley grins, her eyes misty as well.

I thank them, but my attention is snared on the brunette standing quietly next to her best friend. The two seem to have made up over the last few months and have gotten closer. Maddy wipes tears from her eyes. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pull her closer and whisper in her ear, “You’re the black swan too. Fierce. Powerful, a fighter. Don’t you forget that.”

She nods. “Thank you, Tay. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“You would’ve survived and you would’ve been brilliant all on your own. And keep going to therapy. I’m doing that now too.” I clutch her shoulders. “We’ll chase away these monsters together with help.”

I took up Olivia’s offer, and she introduced me to her colleague, who specialized in healing from sexual assault. The sessions, while heavy and emotional, have been cathartic. The therapist is also using EMDR techniques on me, which help PTSD victims to reprocess their trauma and rewire the physical responses so they lessen over time.

Charles is also seeing a different therapist on his own to work out his issues—the guilt over what happened to Alexis and me, Ian’s betrayal, his mending relationship with Liam. It’s making such a big difference for him. The light shines more brightly in his eyes these days.

“Because we’re survivors,” Maddy says, and I look into her eyes, a jolt of pride rushing inside my chest when I see a flame spark in them.

“Damn right we are.” I grin.

“So, plans for the break?” Lisa asks, her eyes twinkling.

“ Nightmare of the Dead is playing, and I’m going to drag Charles to see it with me.” I waggle my brows.

The girls laugh. They all know Charles is not the biggest fan of slasher films.

Someone shoves my shoulder and I glance back, finding Carla standing there, her arms across her chest, a flash of admiration in her gaze.

I arch my brow, waiting for her to speak.

“I never thought I’d say this, but that was good.” She motions toward the stage, where the crew is beckoning us back for a curtain call. “You do deserve Odette.”

Throwing my head back, I laugh as I head toward the front stage. “Odile. I shine as Odile,” I hurl back at her. “And I’m damn proud of that.”

At the curtain call, which is stretching twice as long as normal with the crowds cheering and clamoring for more, I smile, euphoria rushing through me. I scan the private Anderson box, seeing Dad standing, his eyes shining as he claps.

Belle is leaning over the railing, her baby son strapped to her chest, wearing the cutest little baby noise-canceling headphones. She lets out a shrill whistle as Maxwell hauls her back against him and shakes his head, a grin on his face. Ryland cups his mouth and hollers at me as Millie jumps in place next to him.

Ethan grins and I see him holding up his phone and my heart skips a beat because I know he’s streaming this performance to Alexis, which technically isn’t allowed, but no one gives a fuck when you’re an Anderson. Alexis is still at the hospital, slowly recovering, but we will be there with her every step of the way.

Rex and Lana are making heart signs with their hands, and I see Olivia in a neighboring box with her family, clapping loudly. Grace and Steven are sitting with them as my sister practically climbs onto Steven’s back, waving her hands in the air and I swear I can hear her scream, “That’s my sister!”

I look for the one man who has awakened my heart—that gleaming blond hair I’d recognize anywhere—but he’s nowhere to be seen. A niggle of disappointment pinches my chest, but I brush it away as I dip into another low curtsy before walking backstage and head to my dressing room.

As soon as I open the door and step inside, a strong arm yanks me toward him, his scent of bergamot and cedarwood sifting to my nostrils. I catch a glimpse of Charles’s eyes, the color of the hottest fire, before he slams his lips on mine and kicks the door closed at the same time.

I barely notice the click of the lock engaging because Charles has his tongue buried inside my mouth—swiping, tangling with mine like he’s famished for me.

“You were fucking amazing,” he rasps, his voice rough. “A temptress on stage. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

His lips trail to my neck and he scrapes his teeth on my tender flesh and I whimper, the sensations shooting straight to my clit.

“Charles, oh shit. What’s gotten into you?”

My mind grows hazy as Charles hoists me up and I clamp my legs around his waist, finding him already hard and throbbing underneath his tux.

“You. You’re buried so deep inside me, I’m addicted. I take one look at you up there, owning the stage, setting everything aflame, and I want to kiss you, make love to you, tether myself to you. You set me on fire, minx. I’m burning for you.” He tosses me onto a chaise lounge chair in the corner of the room before he climbs over me.

His fingers deftly loosen the ties at my back because he knows I’ll kill him if he damages this beautiful costume. He smirks, as if he knows what I’m thinking.

“I’m not an idiot, despite what you might think,” he rasps after the ties are loose and he yanks down my bodice, exposing my breasts to the air.

“That’s debatable,” I moan when his lips capture my nipple and he pinches the other one. A scream tears out of my mouth and he quickly slams his hand over my mouth.

“Naughty minx, what will other people think? Our prima ballerina getting railed after her performance?”

Wetness leaks out of me and I writhe under him, trying but failing to align my pussy over the bar of steel inside his pants.

Charles lets out a low chuckle and moves down my body, spreading my legs so one falls on the floor and the other is hoisted against the side of the lounge chair, fully exposing me to him.

He rips the seams of my tights and I whimper as he does the same thing to my panties. “How many pairs of tights are you going to ruin?”

“All of them, because I have a new kink now—fucking ballerinas in their costumes.”

With a growl, he buries his face in my pussy, his talented tongue swiping at my folds before his teeth play with my piercing. The sensations quickly spark out of control as I arch against him, my legs trembling, my body quickly burning up when he spears his tongue inside me.

I bite my lip to keep from screaming, my eyes fluttering shut as blinding pleasure takes over my body and my mind grows hazy.

Smack!

The jolt of pain snaps me back to the present.

“Not yet,” he rasps.

Quickly, I hear him unzipping himself, and he splits me in half in the next second.

My mouth drops open from the pleasurable intrusion as he slams into me repeatedly, fanning the flames inside me once more. My breathing comes out in quick pants and I grip his shoulder for dear life.

“You’re fucking amazing, Taylor Peyton-Anderson. Breathtakingly beautiful in my eyes,” he grunts, his face flushed.

He pins my hands over my head, his dominance something I crave now. His hips move faster, snapping against me in a punishing rhythm, hitting that special spot deep inside me.

Sparks coalesce into something greater, gathering deep inside me, and soon I’m perched on the edge, ready to explode.

Charles reaches down and pinches my clit and I scream as I burst into a thousand pieces, my body thrashing as my orgasm overtakes me.

He follows me over the edge with a roar, his cock throbbing, his hot cum sweeping inside me. His mouth swallows the rest of my cries as he continues to thrust inside me, prolonging our high.

The obliterating pleasure slowly fades into a crushing warmth. We’re a mess of sweat and passion and I’m sure my makeup has melted on my face. He hoists himself above me, his blue eyes heated.

“I love you so much, minx. So damn much.” He kisses me softly.

Smiling, I trail my fingers over his angular face—drifting over his perfect nose, his strong jawline, the enticing scruff that makes me want to rub myself all over him again. This man has stood by me through everything, never wavering.

“I love you too, Charles. You wear your heart in your eyes,” I whisper, watching his eyes darken, “and now everyone can see it.”

“Because of you.” He takes my hand and places it over his heart. “This started beating when you walked into my life, and it will continue beating with you by my side.”

Charles whispers in my ear, “Reason number infinity: You make me braver. You make me a better person. You make me fall in love with the thorns of roses, shiny black feathers, and rough edges. You complete me, Tay.”

He pauses and takes a deep breath before continuing, “We’ve always been unconventional and I can’t hold it in anymore. When I saw you on the stage, I knew I couldn’t wait anymore.”

Taking my hand and kissing the back of it, he stares into my eyes and whispers, “Will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?”

The bubbles gather in my chest—the same bubbles I felt that day at the Met Opera when I saw Odette and Prince Siegfried for the first time—but this time, they’re a hundred times more potent. Butterfly wings flap in my stomach. I feel like I’m invincible and I can fly.

My lips twitch as I take in the ridiculousness of our positions, him on top of me, still inside me, my tights ripped and chest bare.

He cocks his brow, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

The damn man can read me like a book.

“Yes,” I reply as the first giggles slip out of my mouth. “But this better not be your official proposal, Charles Vaughn, or I’d really have to kill you.”

He barks out a loud laugh and kisses me softly.

A thought occurs to me, and I frown. I bite my lip, remembering the strange letter I received in the mail earlier. “Charles, did you have something to do with an apology letter from my asshole ex that I just got this morning?”

Charles tsks loudly and shakes his head. “Mentioning your ex while I’m still inside you?” His teasing eyes drift to my lips and he murmurs, “I can’t tell you or I’d really have to kill you.” He parrots my words back to me and smirks.

Heat flows through my chest. He definitely did something to Camden and my inner petty side squeals with glee.

I clench my core and move my hips, biting back a moan as he hardens inside me again. “You bad , relentless bastard,” I whisper before curling my legs around his back and quicken my movements, the sparks quickly fluttering inside me. “I think you deserve a present.”

He groans, his eyes darkening. “ Your relentless bastard.” He works his hips into a maddening rhythm. He rasps, “And I don’t need presents, because I have you, and you’re priceless. But I do have something for you.”

I arch my brow and clench around him.

Charles hisses and lets out a rough chuckle. “Not that, even though my dick is all yours. Next month. Bolshoi Theatre. Special performance of Swan Lake . A private box just for the two of us.” He winks.

I gasp, excitement surging inside me. How did he know about my dream to see the performance there?

He laughs and crushes his lips on mine, and we don’t speak for a long time.

And so Odile, the beautiful black swan, has found a prince of her very own, and they live happily ever after.

Thank you for reading WHEN HEARTS AWAKEN.